


This time

by JetnessAffliction



Category: Aldnoah.Zero (Anime)
Genre: AU, M/M, bless you shimura sensei, countdown art
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-09
Updated: 2015-01-09
Packaged: 2018-03-06 20:02:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3146882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JetnessAffliction/pseuds/JetnessAffliction
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU> Slaine on UFE side> Stuck in an elevator, and Inaho... > your foot>>></p>
            </blockquote>





	This time

“I suppose that’s the level of preparedness around here….” Slaine’s irritation echoed with a faint metal reverb off the close elevator walls, hanging in the almost pitch-black space. Unnecessary, but still a very valid criticism. “...fifteen minutes and no backup power?”

Inaho pressed send on his phone’s brightly lit screen and then pointed the beam straight between the taller boy’s eyes, momentarily blinding Slaine. “A landing castle dropped straight through the base infrastructure may have had something to do with that,” he replied in his usual placid tone, then brought his phone down, satisfied after watching Slaine flinch. “My sister should be handling it.” Inaho tilted his head slightly, just enough to skew the faint shadow he was throwing onto the older teen. “But I’m running low on battery and It’ll be at least a half-hour before emergency power is restored.. so now would be a good time to tell me if you’re afraid of the dark.” 

Slaine rounded on him a bit sharply, “Why would I be?” 

Inaho sat on the floor, back to the wall, knees in. “If you’re not, then please stop pacing.” He turned off the phone’s display, pointedly leaving them both in complete darkness. He watched for a few moments longer, eyes adjusting as they focused on the fading outline of Slaine's body moving cautiously around the small space, one arm outstretched to anchor against the walls as bootheels clicked a nervous rhythm.

After one lap around the perimeter, Slaine’s irritation seemed to evaporate, and on the second lap, his steps evened out, eventually slowing as he spoke up again, thoughtfully, “Half an hour….” 

Inaho simply leaned his head back against the wall, eyes already closed, and silently appreciated the unexpected break from the day’s numerous drills. At least one of them should. The non-stop combat docking, formations, and maneuvering simulations had started as soon as the base engineers patched into the Martian aircraft’s comm systems. Well, properly, this time. 

Eventually, he didn't have to tune out Slaine's quiet steps, as he heard a faint sigh and the other boy come to a halt. He could feel the other's presence right beside him, body heat warming the tight space between them, and steady eyes trained on him from above. 

"Half an hour," Inaho broke the silence, repeating the words evenly as an idea came to him. Suddenly, Inaho stretched out his left leg into the darkness. Estimating, angling, testing. He wasn't surprised when it connected with something solid, toe sliding against Slaine's boot, from arch to heel with barely a sound.

Until he tilted his ankle, and started tapping against it, barely a heartbeat between each quiet touch.

"Half an hour"

_Tap_

"..at least...."

**Author's Note:**

> crack prompt by @tiramishi on twitter, play on the countdown image my Shimura-sensei: http://a0ikit0iki.tumblr.com/post/107410831752/2


End file.
